In Texas, thousands of new business entities are registered yearly, including LLCs (Limited Liability Companies), corporations, partnerships, and sole proprietorships.
According to Statista’s most recent report, over 82,000 retail establishments were among the top registrants, followed by nearly 7,000 registrations in the mining and oil sectors.
These figures can vary based on economic trends, but they offer a general idea of annual registrations. For the most current and accurate data, it is best to consult the Texas Secretary of State’s office. Meanwhile, to conduct a business entity search in Texas, follow the procedure outlined below:
Visit the Texas Secretary of State’s Website
To search for Texas business entities, visit the Texas Secretary of State’s website at https://www.sos.state.tx.us/index.shtml. Then, navigate the Business Services menu bar and select SOSDirect on the Business Services page. SOSDirect provides a convenient platform for online business entity searches and filings. Through this secure system, users can access information about registered entities, submit filings, and manage business documents efficiently.
Enter SOSDirect and Create or Login to an Account
On the Business Services page, select the SOSDirect link to access the system. Users must log in to SOSDirect and provide payment information to complete transactions such as filing documents, requesting copies, and submitting bulk order requests.
Existing subscribers can log in by entering their SOSDirect User ID and Password and clicking ‘Submit’ on the SOSDirect Account Login page.
For those without an account, a request for a SOSDirect account can be submitted online. After 15 minutes of submitting the form on the request page, they will receive their SOSDirect User ID and Password via email.
Alternatively, a temporary login form can be completed to gain access during the session. This allows users to perform web inquiries and place orders but does not permit filing documents. Credit card payments are the only accepted method for temporary users.
Fees for SOSDirect accounts apply to documents filed, copies, certificates ordered, and inquiries made. There are no monthly subscription fees.
Choose Your Search Criteria
After logging into SOSDirect, users can select their search criteria to find business records. They can typically search or request copies of records by entity name, entering the full or partial name of the business. Users may also choose business type, selecting from options like corporations or LLCs. If available, users can search by file number, which offers a more precise way to locate a specific business entity.
Review Search Results
After conducting a search on SOSDirect, the following information is typically available in the results:
- Entity status (active, inactive)
- Date of incorporation
- Registered agent information
- Address of the business
- Franchise information
- Texas taxpayer name
- Mailing address
- Right to transact business in Texas
- Country of formation
- Effective SOS file number
Further Assistance in Accessing Detailed Information
For further assistance in accessing detailed information, users can contact the Texas Secretary of State’s office directly. The office provides support for inquiries regarding business entity records and can guide users through the process of obtaining additional documents or certificates. Contacting the office ensures users receive accurate and timely assistance for complex requests, such as bulk orders or specific legal inquiries.
Why Do a Texas Entity Search?
A Texas entity search protects business interests by offering crucial insights into a company’s registration, compliance, and history. Whether for verifying legal details or preparing for transactions, these searches provide valuable data. Accessing public records can prevent fraud and assist in decision-making. Below are the key benefits of conducting such a search:
- Confirming Business Legitimacy: Verifying a business’s legitimacy is important before making agreements. A Texas entity search helps confirm if a business is legally registered and in good standing. This process helps avoid dealing with companies that may face legal or financial problems, especially when forming partnerships or negotiating deals.
- Assessing Financial Stability: Before investing or partnering with a company, assessing its financial health through a Texas entity search helps identify if the business faces legal challenges, such as lawsuits or liens, that could affect its stability. This helps potential investors or partners make informed decisions and avoid costly mistakes or future complications.
- Researching Ownership and Management: When conducting business with another company, knowing the ownership and management structure is equally important. A Texas business entity search provides information about the company’s owners, registered agents, and officers. This helps clarify decision-makers, ensures transparency, and makes communication easier for legal and operational matters.
- Verifying Business Information for Contracts: Before drafting or signing contracts, conduct an entity search to confirm key business details. This includes verifying the legal entity, registration, address, and corporate structure. A Texas entity search ensures accuracy, which prevents confusion or legal disputes when finalizing agreements with vendors, contractors, or partners.
- Monitoring for Fraud Prevention: Regular business entity searches help prevent identity theft by monitoring public records. Business owners can spot unauthorized changes, such as alterations to their registered agent or business status. Detecting fraud early helps protect the business from reputational damage and financial losses. This proactive approach keeps business information secure.
- Gathering Essential Data for Research: A Texas entity search is useful for gathering key business information, such as a company’s formation date, business type, and registered address. This data is valuable for market analysis, competitor research, and understanding industry trends. It provides insights into the business landscape and helps identify potential opportunities and threats.
Who Holds Data for Texas Business Entity Search
Aside from the Texas Secretary of State, several other entities and organizations hold data for Texas business entities. These include:
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
The Comptroller’s office holds information on tax status, franchise taxes, and other financial details. Their business records can be accessed online using the Franchise Tax Account Status Search system. By entering a Tax ID, entity name, or file number, users can find details such as the Texas taxpayer name, mailing address, and franchise tax information.
The system also provides tabs with essential data, including the right to transact business in Texas, registered agent details, and the entity’s formation country.
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) oversees various professional and business licenses within the state. TDLR holds records related to licensed professionals, businesses, and entities. These records include license status, renewal information, and disciplinary actions.
To access these records online, users can utilize the TRAIL (Texas Records and Information Locator) search. By entering specific keywords into the TRAIL search, users can find relevant records across over 180 Texas state agency web servers. The search results rank pages by relevance, allowing for efficient retrieval of necessary information.
Texas Workforce Commission
The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) holds various records related to employment and workforce issues in Texas. These include unemployment insurance (UI) claims, wage records, civil rights employment and housing discrimination investigation records, employer tax records, payday wage claims, and vocational rehabilitation records.
The TWC’s Open Records Center allows users to access these records online.
County Clerk’s Offices
In addition to property records, vital records, and civil and criminal court records, Texas County Clerk’s Offices maintain records related to business entities, such as assumed business names (DBAs), partnerships, and other local business filings. These records typically include registration documents for businesses operating under a trade name within the county.
Some counties offer online search tools for business name registrations, while others may require submitting a formal request to access specific business-related documents. Each county may have different procedures and resources available.
Texas Department of Insurance
The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) maintains various records related to business entities within the insurance industry. These records include licensing information, financial filings, and regulatory compliance documents for insurance companies, agents, and agencies operating in Texas.
To access these records, individuals can visit the TDI’s website and use their online search tools, such as the company search and agent search features.
Texas Ethics Commission
The Texas Ethics Commission holds records related to the financial and ethical compliance of businesses and individuals involved in political campaigns or lobbying. These records include campaign finance reports, lobbying activity filings, and disclosure reports.
The commission offers a public database that allows users to access these records online through its website. Users can search for relevant reports and filings from specific businesses, individuals, or political entities.
Local City Governments
Texas local city governments keep various business records, from licenses and permits to zoning information and local tax records.
Many local governments, like the City of Houston and the City of Austin, provide services or public records centers for searching and requesting copies of their records online.
Federal Agencies
Besides state agencies, federal agencies hold records related to business entities operating in Texas. These records include tax filings, employment data, environmental regulations, and compliance with federal laws. Key agencies include the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Each agency’s website provides access to their records.
Commercial Database Providers
Commercial database providers collect and maintain extensive records on business entities in Texas. These providers aggregate data from public records, including state filings, court cases, and federal documents.
Popular providers include Dun & Bradstreet, LexisNexis, and InfoUSA. In most cases, access to these records is available through paid subscriptions or individual reports. Users can search business entity data on the provider’s website, often with features that allow filtering by industry, location, and other criteria.
What Are Different Entities You Can Register in Texas?
Choosing a business structure is critical, requiring consultation with an attorney and accountant. It involves considering factors such as taxation, liability, management, continuity, ownership transfer, and operational formality. In Texas, businesses typically operate under one of several recognized legal structures below:
- Corporations: A corporation is a separate legal entity offering benefits like limited liability, centralized management, perpetual existence, and ease of transferring ownership interests. The owners, called “shareholders,” elect “directors” to manage the business. Shareholders can use agreements to remove directors and manage the business. A C Corporation is taxed on its income, and shareholders also face taxes on dividends (double taxation). Meanwhile, an S Corporation, defined by federal tax law, allows for different tax treatment. To elect S Corporation status, a corporation must file with the IRS. For more details, consult the IRS or a tax professional, as the Texas Secretary of State does not manage this.
- Limited Liability Companies (LLCs): A Texas limited liability company (LLC), formed by filing a certificate of formation with the Texas Secretary of State, combines aspects of both corporations and partnerships, offering flexible management and limited liability protection. LLC owners, called members, can be individuals or entities, with liability typically limited to their investments. Depending on their structure, LLCs may enjoy pass-through taxation and can resemble general partnerships, limited partnerships, or S corporations. Management may be by members or appointed managers, and the structure must be outlined in the certificate of formation. Legal advice is recommended when forming an LLC.
- Limited Partnerships (LPs): A Texas limited partnership consists of two or more individuals, including at least one general partner and one limited partner. It operates based on a partnership agreement, which may be either written or oral, outlining the management and business operations. Although the partnership agreement is not required to be filed publicly, the limited partnership must submit a certificate of formation to the Texas Secretary of State. The Secretary of State offers a standardized form that meets the basic requirements set by state law for forming the partnership.
- Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs): A general or limited partnership can choose to register as a limited liability partnership (LLP) to limit the personal liability of its general partners. By doing so, the general partners are not personally responsible for the partnership’s debts or liabilities. The Texas Secretary of State provides a specific form for LLP registration.
- Sole Proprietorship: A sole proprietorship in Texas represents an unincorporated business owned and operated by a single individual. This business structure offers a simple setup, direct control, and complete personal responsibility for all business assets, debts, and legal obligations. The owner reports business income and expenses directly on personal tax returns.
- Nonprofit Corporations: A nonprofit corporation is a legal entity formed for charitable, educational, religious, or other public benefit purposes. Nonprofits are exempt from certain taxes and can apply for federal tax-exempt status under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. They must file a certificate of formation with the Texas Secretary of State.
- Professional Corporations (PC): A professional corporation (PC) is a business structure designed for licensed professionals, such as doctors, lawyers, and accountants. It allows professionals to operate as a corporation while complying with specific regulations. PCs are required to file a certificate of formation with the Texas Secretary of State and follow state laws governing professional services.
- Doing Business As (DBA): A Doing Business As (DBA) is a trade name that a business uses that is different from the owner’s legal name. In Texas, if a sole proprietorship operates under a name other than the owner’s legal name, it is required to file a DBA or assumed name certificate with the Texas Secretary of State or the county clerk in the county where the business is based.
Useful Additional Information on the Texas Secretary of State’s Website
The Texas Secretary of State’s website provides various resources to assist businesses and individuals in their dealings with the state’s business regulations. Below are some of the most useful features:
SOSUpload System
The SOSUpload System allows users to upload essential documents for creating new business entities, registering out-of-state businesses, or making changes to existing entities. A SOSDirect account is required to use this system. Documents must be in PDF format, and sensitive information, such as payment details, should be excluded to avoid submission rejection.
Tracking and Other Searches
Through the Texas Secretary of State’s online platform, users can track their business filings, like UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) filings and business entity statuses.
The website also provides other search options, such as Business Certificate of Filing Verification, UCC Filing Tracker, and searches related to Veterans Solicitations and Credit Services Organizations.
Business Forms
The site offers forms for filing business entities, including formations, amendments, and terminations. It also provides trademark filing and registration forms for nonprofit organizations. These forms ensure compliance with Texas business statutes, though users are advised to consult an attorney for legal advice.
Fees, Legal & Other
For businesses and nonprofits, the website features fee schedules and payment forms for different filings. It also emphasizes that the Texas Secretary of State cannot offer legal advice, and it encourages consulting an attorney for any legal questions.
Business FAQs
The website offers FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) on various topics, including business entity formation, name filings, nonprofits, registered agents, mergers, and foreign entities. It provides essential information on starting and maintaining a business in Texas and additional guidance on special subjects like veterans’ business opportunities and health spas.
UCC Filing and Modernization
Texas is upgrading its UCC system to fully transition to online filings by early 2025, replacing paper submissions. The new system will require users to create new accounts and implement enhanced security measures, including two-factor authentication, for improved protection and easier access to filing services.
Educational Materials
The Texas Secretary of State’s website also offers educational materials, including archived presentations and documents, for public research and informational purposes. These resources cover topics such as LLCs, LPs, and partnerships, though they may not reflect current laws or policies. The materials are not intended as legal or professional advice.
Texas Business Search FAQ
Explore answers to the following frequently asked questions about Texas business entity searches:
How Often Is the Texas Business Entity Database Updated?
The Texas business entity database is updated continuously as new filings are processed. For submissions made via mail, fax, or in person, it typically takes one business day for the document to appear in the system as “Received.” Updates are then reflected promptly after processing.
What Should I Do if I Cannot Find a Business Using the SOSDirect Search?
If a business cannot be located using the SOSDirect search, the user should check the accuracy of the entered name or try alternative search terms. For further help, contacting the Texas Secretary of State’s office is recommended.
Can I Search for Foreign Entities in Texas?
Foreign entities can be searched in Texas using the SOSDirect system. It provides access to information such as registration status, entity names, and other relevant details of foreign businesses operating in the state.
How Do I Verify if a Texas Business Is in Good Standing?
To verify if a Texas business is in good standing, check its status through the Texas Comptroller’s Franchise Tax Account Status Search system. This tool confirms compliance with state tax obligations and franchise tax requirements.
Can I Search for Multiple Business Entities at Once in Texas?
Searching for multiple business entities at once in Texas is possible through the SOSDirect system. Log in, select the Bulk Order option under Business Organizations, choose the desired product, and complete the required details. Results vary based on the chosen subscription type.
How To Check if an LLC Is Active in Texas?
To check if an LLC is active in Texas, use the Texas Secretary of State’s SOSDirect or the Texas Comptroller’s Franchise Tax Account Status Search tool. Enter the LLC’s name or file number. The status will be shown as either “Active,” “Inactive,” or another relevant designation.
How To Check if a Business Name Is Available in Texas for Free?
To check if a business name is available in Texas for free, visit the Texas Secretary of State’s website. Enter the desired name into the name availability search tool. The tool will display whether the name has already been taken or is available for use.
How To Find Business Owners’ Contact Info in Texas?
In Texas, business owners’ contact information is not directly available to the public. However, the Texas Secretary of State’s SOSDirect system offers access to business entity information, which may include the registered agent’s contact details.
How Much Is the Per Search in Texas SOSDirect?
The cost for each search on Texas SOSDirect is $1. Additional fees apply for document retrieval, such as $1 per page and $15 for each certificate.
What Methods of Payment Are Accepted for a Business Entity Search in Texas?
For a business entity search in Texas, accepted payment methods include American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa credit cards, prefunded client accounts, and LegalEase Accounts. Temporary users must pay with credit cards when logging in. Charges for services appear on the account billing statement.